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June 29, 2016

Emma Watson invited to join the Academy

Brie Larson, John Boyega, America Ferrara, Michael B. Jordan and Chadwick Boseman were among 683 new members invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Wednesday in what the nearly 90-year-old organization touted as its largest and most diverse new class ever.

The group represents the latest and most dramatic sign of the academy leadership’s effort to diversify the historically overwhelmingly white and male institution, an effort that took on heightened urgency this year in the the #OscarsSoWhite uproar that reached a fever pitch in the run-up to this year’s awards telecast.

This year's class is more than double the number invited in 2015, when the academy brought 322 members into its ranks.

Other new members include Idris Elba, Emma Watson and Ice Cube.

In January, facing blistering criticism over the lack of nominations for any actors of color for the second year in a row, academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs announced sweeping changes aimed at doubling the number of women and minorities — currently about 1,500 and 535, respectively — in the academy’s ranks by 2020.

“The academy is going to lead and not wait for the industry to catch up,” Boone Isaacs said in a statement announcing the initiative.

But hitting the stated targets won’t be easy. In 2012, The Times reported that Oscar voters were 94% white and 77% male, and by this year those numbers had budged only slightly.

To achieve its diversity goals, the academy would have to invite at least 375 women and more than 130 people of color each year for the next four years, The Times estimated earlier this year.

Given the historical under-representation of women and minorities in Hollywood, some have wondered whether such goals can realistically be achieved without lowering the stringent membership requirements – something the academy’s leadership has vowed not to do.

In an interview with The Times in February, former academy President Hawk Koch called the targets “impossible” to reach, saying, “There aren’t that many qualified people, period, of any race or gender, to invite each year.”

To help broaden the pool of possible candidates, the academy supplemented its traditional membership process with a global recruitment campaign.

“There are qualified people out there,” Boone Isaacs told The Times in February. “We’re going to do everything in our power to meet our goals, because we know that this is the right thing to do. We’re going to make it happen.”

Wow Eden really it's almost better than getting nominated! Is this article confirmation of her appointment or just to inform the Academy's intention of appointing her (and others?) is she already appointed yet? :)

You don't need to be a good actor/director/whatever to recognize a great movie. She's only asked to give her opinion about the movies pre-nominated, she's not asked to star in them. And this year was all about diversity. Diversity in age, ethnicity, gender, and maybe a few others I can't think of right now. These are the reasons for those chosen this year.

I would say she was better than Hollywood actresses, her roles have been more varied that a lot of Hollywood stars. The selection was made on grounds of experience and success in the industry, having a recognizable profile as well as fitting the criterion Eden listed.

If you are not a good actor and understand the art in its diversity, how can you then judge if another actor is oscar worthy.I can like a painting because it appeals to my emotions, but a studied artists can point out artistic flaws and virtues which I do not see and maybe do not care because I like the piece of art, but those that judge who is Oscar worthy should have a bit more going for them than I like or I dislike. I hope there is some professional and artistic know how that flows into the decision. I do not believe that a bad actor is able to make such a decision of who is Oscar worthy. Being a bad actor means that one does not have talent or has not yet mastered the methodology and understanding of what is cinema or theater.

Only actor in this page is talented and has been in the move business most of her young life. Her talent is obvious from her body of work her integrity (another key factor in selecting an Oscar winner you seem to have neglected) unquestionable and equally obvious from her stand on Gender Equality and the Environment.

Emma Watson is an outstanding actor and has more character than many older and more established people in her industry making her the perfect choice for the Academy.